Department for Transport

Official Cars

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cars are in use by the Government Car Service; and of these, how many are (1) electric, and (2) hybrid; and whether they plan to update the car service.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government Car Service currently has 91 cars for ministerial use. (1) 6 cars are pure electric (2) 21 cars are petrol hybrid models. As vehicles become due for renewal, they will be replaced by non-diesel alternatives.

Network Rail: Assets

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money Network Rail has raised to date from the sale of assets announced as part of the Hendy Review.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Network Rail continues the process of identifying what parts of its property portfolio might be suitable for sale. The strategic disposals completions (net cash after deducting cost of sale) to date total £24.2m. It is important to note that this is only what has been raised to date. This is an ongoing programme and Network Rail continues to assess the suitability of assets for divestment.

Southern: Standards

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial and other penalties have been incurred under the terms of the franchise agreement by the train operator Govia for poor performance by Southern Rail over the last eighteen months; and what percentage of the money paid to Southern Rail to operate the service those financial and other penalties represent.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The money paid to Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to operate their services and their performance incentive regime cover the entire franchise, there are no separate accounts or performance regimes for Southern. We have not settled GTR’s performance incentive regime for the first full year of Southern’s operation due to the ongoing Force Majeure claim. This is a complex claim to analyse and the process is still ongoing. We are currently discussing the claim with GTR and considering the points made by them before making our determination.

Railways: Standards

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the various criteria used to assess how operators of rail franchises are delivering (1) the level of quality of service, and (2) other commitments, provided for under the franchise agreement; and what assessment has been made of their effectiveness.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As part of the franchising programme and the Government’s commitment to managing contracts as effectively as possible, the Department for Transport has worked closely with industry to ensure that the terms of franchise agreements and the associated administrative processes ensure that operators: Know what is expected of them and whenUnderstand the evidence required to support contract administration for example, appropriate evidence to demonstrate delivery of committed obligations within the contractHave the opportunity to put forward proposed improvements to the contract and their service delivery, and to discuss these in the appropriate forumsAre held to account when they do not deliver on their obligations The Department’s approach to franchise management seeks to strike the balance between giving operators the comparative freedom to focus on service delivery whilst providing sufficient oversight to protect the public purse and the interests of the passenger. In most existing Franchise Agreements, this takes the form of monthly reporting of financial, operational, management and compliance information. Work is ongoing to develop the Department’s monitoring of benefits being realised through delivery of committed obligations within the contract. Lessons learned is embedded into franchise management and feeds into franchise specific competitions for specification design. In addition, most franchise agreements include targets and financial incentives for customer satisfaction, measured through the National Rail Passenger Survey, and some also include other financial incentive regimes for service quality.

A1: Dual Carriageways

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 7 February (HL Deb, col 1592), when Highways England will update their website, confirming that the programme to dual the A1 between the north-east and the Scottish border will commence in 2020.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Highways England is currently developing proposals to deliver the A1 Morpeth to Ellingham dualling schemes and A1 North of Ellingham enhancements announced in accordance with the first Road Investment Strategy (RIS). I can confirm that these dualling schemes are expected to commence in 2020, subject to completing the necessary statutory planning processes. Works on the enhancements north of Ellingham are expected to commence in 2018. Updates to the website to reflect this are being planned and will be implemented in due course. The proposed start of works dates for these schemes are currently shown in the summary section of the scheme web page. The header box will be reformatted to show the proposed start dates for the two schemes more clearly. Full dualling of the A1 from Ellingham in the north-east to Berwick at the Scottish border is not within the scope of the A1 in Northumberland project being delivered by Highways England as part of the first RIS. The Government is looking ahead to develop RIS 2 which will cover investments beyond 2020. Any further proposals for the A1 would be considered as part of this work.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Owner Occupation

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what comparative assessment they have made of home ownership levels in the UK and in other countries in the G20.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has not carried out any assessment of home ownership levels in the G20. The latest assessment of comparative home ownership levels was carried out by the Organisation for Economic and Co-operative Development (OECD) for their HM1-3 Housing Tenure Report which was published in December 2016.The latest Organisation for Economic and Co - operative Development report (attached) can be found at:https://www.oecd.org/els/family/HM1-3-Housing-tenures.pdfSince 2010, over 362,000 households have been helped by the Government to buy a property through schemes such as Help to Buy and the reinvigorated Right to Buy. In addition, mortgage repossessions are at their lowest level since 2004.



Housing tenures
(PDF Document, 356.37 KB)

Owner Occupation

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the percentage of Britons who own their own homes outright is increasing or decreasing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The proportion of households in England that own their home outright is increasing, and currently stands at 34 per cent.

Local Government: Birmingham

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Government Commissioners have been appointed to supervise departments in Birmingham City Council in the past 10 years.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not appointed any Commissioners to supervise departments in Birmingham City Council in the past 10 years.In January 2015 the Department, with Birmingham City Council, established an Independent Improvement Panel to support and challenge the council in implementing the recommendations set out in Lord Kerslake’s review which reported in December 2014.The Department for Education appointed two Education Commissioners: Peter Clarke (2014) to investigate the allegations of extremism in Birmingham schools; and Sir Mike Tomlinson (2014-2016) to oversee improvements in Birmingham City Council’s education functions.The Department for Education also appointed three Commissioners to oversee children’s social services: Lord Warner (2014-2015), Andrew Christie (2015-2016) and Dave Hill (2016-present).

Antisemitism

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by the Community Security Trust Antisemitic Incidents which reported an increase in antisemitic incidents in 2016, what action they are taking (1) to protect the UK Jewish community, and (2) to promote a culture of tolerance and inclusion.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government takes the security of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom very seriously and recently announced a £13.4 million contribution for 2017/18 to the Community Security Trust. The Trust provides security guards and protection to independent and state Jewish schools, nurseries, synagogues and community sites.Our cross-government working group to tackle anti-Semitism ensures that we are alive to any new issues and concerns the Jewish community might have and that we can respond quickly and effectively. In December 2016, the United Kingdom became the first European Union country to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of anti-Semitism. We recently published a progress report on our efforts to tackle anti-Semitism (attached) which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-semitism-update The Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan and integration programme set out our actions to prevent hate crime and promote cohesion more broadly.



Anti Semitism update
(PDF Document, 878.29 KB)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Bedouin

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the EU and other donors have stopped paying the legal costs of the inhabitants of the Palestinian village of Al Khan al Ahmar seeking to prevent the demolition of a number of buildings; and whether they will call for payments to be continued.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK continues to support Bedouin communities and Palestinians in Area C through our assistance to the Norwegian Refugee Council’s legal aid programme. As is their prerogative, the residents of Khan Al Ahmar decided to employ a lawyer outside of this programme. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) met with the Khan Al Ahmar’s community leader in 2016, and we raise our objections to the demolition orders with the Israeli authorities on a regular basis.

Israel: Bedouin

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will raise the demolition of a number of buildings in the village of Al Khan al Ahmar (1) with the government of Israel, and (2) in other appropriate forums, including the UN Security Council.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK Government is gravely concerned about the continued demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities, including plans to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al Ahmar. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) raised UK concerns over demolitions with Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to Israel on 8 March. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised this issue with the Israeli Ambassador to London on 1 March. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv last raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities on 28 February. We have not raised the issue in the United Nations (UN) Security Council. UN officials have visited Khan al-Ahmar and called on Israel to respect international law.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in response to reports about the physical and mental health of the British-Iranian citizen detained in Iran, Mrs Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; whether they have requested a visit to Mrs Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to assess her physical and mental health; and what assurances they have been given that she will receive appropriate treatment as soon as possible.

baroness anelay of st johns: Ministers and officials have repeatedly made representations to the Iranian Government on all consular cases involving British nationals in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's. On 17 February, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), discussed Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case, including her health, with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family confirmed that she visited a specialist on 19 February. The Iranian authorities have given us their assurances that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe will receive medical treatment if appropriate. We have repeatedly requested consular access so that we can be assured of her welfare, however the Iranian position on dual nationality makes progress difficult. We urge the Iranian authorities to ensure action is taken on the specialist's assessment and will pursue this at every opportunity.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that Mrs Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has access to her daughter; and what assurances they have received from the government of Iran in this regard.

baroness anelay of st johns: Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is visited in prison by her daughter Gabriella at least once a week. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) has regularly discussed the importance of family access with the Iranian Ambassador. As I have said in this House before, we remain ready to facilitate Gabriella's return to the UK if requested by the family.

Iran: Foreign Relations

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their aims for the future of the Anglo–Iranian relationship.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK remains committed to improving our bilateral relationship with Iran. This allows for discussions on a broad range of issues including the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran's role in the region, our consular cases, human rights and the expansion of the trading relationship. Developing our relationship – including through upgrading to Ambassadors in September last year – means we can discuss these issues and other areas on which we do not agree.

Israel: Bedouin

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the call by the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities for the occupied Palestinian territory, what action they are taking to (1) protect the occupants of, and (2) prevent demolition of buildings in, the Bedouin village of Khan al Ahmar.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​The UK Government is gravely concerned about continued demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities, including plans to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al Ahmar. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) raised this issue with the Israeli Ambassador to London on 1 March. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv last raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities on 28 February.

UN Secretariat: Public Appointments

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the United Nations concerning the proposed appointment of MK Tzipi Livni for the post of UN deputy secretary-general.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We are not planning to make any representations to the United Nations (UN) on this issue, as we believe this is a matter for the UN to decide.

Israel: West Bank

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning reports of the uprooting of Palestinian-owned olive trees in Kharas village, Hebron, by the Israeli authorities.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we are aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers and of the particular sensitivities around olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government and security officials about the destruction of olive trees on a number of occasions. We hold the Israeli authorities responsible for enforcing the rule of law and providing the appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Israel: West Bank

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to (1) the EU, and (2) the government of Israel, regarding the destruction of EU-funded structures in the West Bank.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We have not made any representations to the EU about destruction of EU-funded structures in the West Bank. We continue to raise strong concerns about the increasing number of demolitions in the West Bank with the Israeli authorities. The EU has continually called upon the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning its response to reports of criminal activities committed by illegal Israeli settlers directed towards Palestinians living in the occupied territories, including acts of vandalism against property.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We have repeatedly raised with the Israeli authorities our concerns about incidents of settler violence and intimidation, and have stressed the importance of thorough investigations and accountability, as well as the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

France: Elections

lord stevens of ludgate: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 24 January (HL4702) and 15 February (HL5178), whether they intend to review their policy towards relations with Marine Le Pen, in the light of the latest opinion polls for the French presidential election.

baroness anelay of st johns: I refer the noble Lord to my written answers on 24 January (HL4702) and 15 February (HL5178). All policies are kept under review.

Cabinet Office

List of Ministerial Responsibilities

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen on 15 November 2016 (HL2927), when they expect to publish a corrected and updated edition of the List of Ministerial Responsibilities issued by the Cabinet Office in October 2016.

lord young of cookham: The most recent copy of the List of Ministerial Responsibilities was published in December 2016 on Gov.uk. This document will now be updated and published on a quarterly basis. The update will be published shortly on Gov.uk.

Government Departments: Research

baroness o'neill of bengarve: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will respond to the report Missing Evidence: An Inquiry into the delayed publication of government-commissioned research published in June 2016 and whether they intend to publish an online register of government commissioned research.

lord young of cookham: This government is committed to being the most transparent government in the world. We believe that access to research is fundamental to effective policy development and wider scientific inquiry across government. The report is a useful contribution to work in this area. While the publication of individual pieces of research is a decision for individual government departments, the Government Digital Service (GDS) is committed to ensuring users can find the content they need on Gov.uk; users are able to search and filter relevant policy and research papers from government departments and agencies. GDS is also undertaking work to improve data discovery tools, building on the data.gov.uk platform, to make it easier for government departments to publish data they hold and for external users to find it. This will help to improve the quality of data descriptions so finding the right data will become easier for our users.

Attorney General

Prisoners: Death

lord knight of weymouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service currently has under active consideration under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 in respect of a death or deaths in custody.

lord keen of elie: The Crown Prosecution Service is currently considering fewer than five cases in which a charge of corporate manslaughter is being considered in connection to a death or deaths in custody.

Prisons: Drugs

lord knight of weymouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prosecutions the Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service have brought in respect of drug (1) possession, (2) dealing, and (3) smuggling, in London’s prisons since 1 January 2013.

lord keen of elie: Prosecutions for drug possession, dealing and smuggling in a prison setting may be brought under a number of differing legislative provisions. Prosecutions for these sorts of offences investigated by the Metropolitan Police are conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Whilst the CPS holds data relating to prosecutions brought under the Prisons Act 1952, it is not possible to disaggregate, from those relating to other proscribed articles, the number of offences relating to drug possession, dealing or smuggling.The CPS also holds data relating to offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 but it is not possible to disaggregate those which have taken place in custodial institutions.Section 9 of the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) 2016 provides the offence of possession of a psychoactive substance in a custodial institution. Since the Act came into force no prosecutions brought under this section have been completed in the London Area.A national joint protocol between the CPS, Police and the National Offender Management Service is in force for crimes in prisons. The CPS works very closely with police and prison colleagues to ensure that acts of criminality within prisons are properly addressed.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord faulkner of worcester: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he will publish the terms of the agreement with Electoral Reform Services to administer the hereditary peers’ by-elections, including the fees paid and the length of the contract.

lord faulkner of worcester: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what organisations other than Electoral Reform Services were considered when the contract to administer the hereditary peers’ by-elections was awarded.

lord faulkner of worcester: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he will ensure that an open competition will be held for the contract to administer future hereditary peers’ by-elections.

lord mcfall of alcluith: The House has engaged Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to assist with each hereditary peers’ by-election since they were first held in 2003. When the need for a by-election arises ERS are engaged to administer and supervise the by-election and to provide assurance that it conforms to good electoral practice. This arrangement has applied each time a by-election is held. A fee is paid for ERS’ services for each by-election; there is no standing contract under which fees are paid to ERS. The table below shows the amounts paid to Electoral Reform Services in respect of hereditary peers’ by-elections in each calendar year since 2012. YearAmount paid to Electoral Reform Services2012Nil2013£3,5502014£3,2452015£5,7002016£1,2002017 (to date)Nil Amounts are exclusive of VAT. The House authorities are currently reviewing the procurement arrangements under which services for hereditary peers’ by-elections are provided.

Department for Education

Children: Poverty

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children who were living below the poverty line during their school age years did not complete their education in each year since 2010.

lord nash: The Department does not collect data on children who are not registered pupils at a school and do not complete their education.

Schools: Asbestos

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to protect children and teachers from the dangers of asbestos, in the light of the findings of the Education Funding Agency in their reports published in February, and of the information released in the Freedom of Information request 201607236, of August 2016, that 319 teachers have died of mesothelioma since 1980, published by the National Union of Teachers.

lord nash: The department takes the issue of asbestos in schools very seriously. The findings from the asbestos in schools data collection show that the vast majority of schools that responded appear to be managing asbestos well and are fully compliant with legislation and guidance. For those that did not have fully documented plans, processes and procedures in place, the department provided immediate advice on the actions needed to address these issues and sought assurances of compliance from responsible bodies and schools.We have also recently published updated guidance which provides information on how those legally responsible for asbestos management in schools - local authorities, schools and trusts - should manage asbestos. This includes new supplementary guidance to help duty holders understand where asbestos is commonly found, so that they can work with qualified professionals to assess and manage the risks. We also intend to further enhance scrutiny on duty holders for managing asbestos in their schools, by developing an assurance process for all duty holders to report on the management of asbestos across their respective education estates. Alongside this, we continue to provide significant funding to schools to help those legally responsible for maintenance to keep their school buildings in a good state of repair. We are investing £10billion to maintain and improve the condition of the schools estate by 2021, and schools and responsible bodies are able to use the funding that is available to them to remove asbestos where that is appropriate.

Ministry of Justice

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not publish (1) board minutes, nor (2) reports of board meetings.

lord keen of elie: The work of HM Courts and Tribunals Service is overseen by its board, which is headed by an independent chair, working with executive, non-executive and judicial members. Notes of Board meetings will shortly start being published each month at gov.uk.

Prisons: Drugs

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many drug-related deaths there have been in prisons in each year since 2010.

lord keen of elie: The system for classifying deaths used in the published statistics on deaths in custody provides a provisional classification for administrative and statistical purposes and does not distinguish those that are drug-related. All deaths in prison custody are subject to a coroner’s inquest. It is the responsibility of the coroner to determine the cause of death and the final classification is only determined at inquest.

Prisoners' Release

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they are giving to releasing prisoners who have spent 40 or more years in custody.

lord keen of elie: Any prisoner who has not been released from a sentence imposed 40 or more years ago will be serving a sentence of life imprisonment. As such, their release is a matter for the independent Parole Board who must be satisfied that their detention is no longer necessary for the protection of the public. There is also a power for the Secretary of State executively to release a prisoner if exceptional circumstances exist which justify release on compassionate grounds. If such a prisoner were to make an application for compassionate release it would be considered on its individual merits.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: Armed Forces

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many HM Forces personnel are serving in Afghanistan; and whether any further deployments are scheduled.

earl howe: The UK contributes around 500 personnel to the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, which includes the uplift announced at the NATO Warsaw summit in July 2016. The UK has a long term commitment to Afghanistan and continues to review its contribution to ensure it is optimally resourced.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Henley on 22 February (HL Deb, col 331), what is the timetable for the evaluation of the reduced benefit cap.

lord henley: The Department has recently commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to carry out some research into the new lower, tiered Benefit Cap which will form part of the overall evaluation of the Benefit Cap. A report will be produced at the end of the project.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Rights of Way

the earl of lytton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish a detailed timetable for the commencement of sections 20 to 26 of the Deregulation Act 2015 concerning public rights of way, including the date on which they propose to lay before both Houses any draft instrument for affirmative resolution; and when they propose to publish implementing regulations, guidance and circulars.

lord gardiner of kimble: In partnership with the stakeholder working group we are making good progress developing the draft regulations and guidance. I hope to be in a position to publish a timetable in due course.

Home Office

Passports: Digital Technology

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 18 January (HL Deb, col 209), what specific system developments are being put in place to enhance the security of the digitisation of passports.

baroness williams of trafford: As previously mentioned in the House, Her Majesty’s Passport Office are implementing facial matching technology and continually improving the verification of claimed identity and the examination processes. For reasons of security, we do not share details of the specific system developments that are being considered.

Firearms

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when was the last time the National Ballistics Intelligence Service assessed the volume of illegal firearms in the UK, and how frequently those assessments are made.

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb, col 1858), which policy measures have been implemented as a result of the new approach to intelligence collection and sharing.

baroness williams of trafford: The National Ballistics Intelligence Service delivers fast-time forensic intelligence as well as tactical and strategic intelligence to help tackle all aspects of firearms related criminality within the UK. They produce quarterly reports on the threat, but their assessment is continuous and key information is shared amongst law enforcement on a real time basis.Following the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, we have been ensuring we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies, internationally, at the UK border, and within the UK. We are continuing to choke off the supply and availability of illegal firearms to prevent their use by criminals or terrorists. A recent multi-agency operation has enhanced law enforcement’s shared understanding of the illegal firearms market and it is now being developed into an enduring model with a national and international focus. This is consistent with our long-term policy approach and therefore no further measures have been required.

Nationality: British Overseas Territories

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the denial of citizenship to illegitimate children born abroad before 1 July 2006 to British Overseas Territories fathers was discussed as part of either the main agendas or in side meetings during the Overseas Joint Ministerial Council, on 1 and 2 November 2016 and 7 February 2017; if so, what was the outcome of those discussions; and if not, what plans they have, in conjunction with those territories, to take this matter forward.

baroness williams of trafford: This issue was not discussed at the Joint Ministerial Council. The review of citizenship is ongoing.

Refugees: Children

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the statement by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, published on 22 February, on the need to protect unaccompanied child refugees from modern slavery and other forms of exploitation.

baroness williams of trafford: We note the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s statement and welcome the focus on the UK’s wider support for vulnerable refugee children and efforts to prevent human trafficking at source. We will continue to engage closely with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner on these issues.The UK has established the £10 million Refugee Children’s Fund which is providing targeted support to meet the specific needs of unaccompanied and separated children migrating through Greece and other transit countries. The fund is providing additional and improved safe accommodation spaces for children, with 24 hour care and specialist support. The fund also provides specialist training for officials and volunteers as well as legal support and advice.We are working internationally to help prevent vulnerable people from becoming victims. The Prime Minister pledged £33.5m of official development assistance funding, to support victims and bring perpetrators to justice by working in partnership with key countries. The PM Taskforce is also making progress bringing the collective weight of Government to bear. We are already seeing progress in intelligence gathering and are developing our international strategy to tackle the threat overseas and deepen law enforcement cooperation. This will enable us to investigate, prosecute and otherwise disrupt the activity of slave-drivers and traffickers of human beings. We also work closely with Europol and Eurojust to facilitate cross-border operations and joint investigations with European law enforcement agencies.

Northern Ireland Office

Human Rights: Republic of Ireland

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to obtain assurances from the government of Ireland that it has brought forward measures to ensure an equivalent level of protection of human rights in the Republic of Ireland as in Northern Ireland in accordance with the Belfast Agreement 1998.

lord dunlop: The Belfast Agreement commits the Irish Government to ensuring an equivalent level of protection for human rights in Ireland to that established in Northern Ireland by the Agreement. As a result of this commitment, the Irish Government established the Irish Human Rights Commission, which in November 2014 merged with the Equality Authority to form the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, like the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, is a UN ‘A status’ accredited National Human Rights Institution, structured and operated in accordance with the Paris Principles. The UK and Irish Governments meet regularly both at ministerial and official level to discuss issues of mutual interest and concerns including matters relating to the implementation of the Belfast Agreement in each jurisdiction. These include matters relating to human rights in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Department for International Trade

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention to remain part of the CETA trade agreement after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

lord price: CETA is an important trade agreement for the UK and we remain committed to seeing it provisionally applied as quickly as possible. Once we leave the EU, we are seeking to deliver maximum continuity and certainty for businesses in our trade and investment relationships with third countries, including those covered by EU FTAs or other EU preferential arrangements.

Department of Health

Nurses

lord mackenzie of culkein: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made by (1) the Chief Nursing Officer for England, (2) NHS Improvement, and (3) Health Education England, of the early warning from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of potential supply problems as a consequence of fewer nurses from the European Union joining the nursing register.

lord mackenzie of culkein: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 22 February (HL Deb, col 326), why it was said that "there has not been a drop-off in the number of EU nationals joining the NHS workforce since the referendum" when the Nursing and Midwifery Council has reported a significant reduction in the number of EU nurses admitted to the register since the referendum.

lord o'shaughnessy: There has been a decline in the number of European Union nurses (excluding the United Kingdom) joining the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register since July 2016 but the Department does not believe that it is currently possible to attribute this solely to the UK’s decision to exit the EU, other factors such as increased language testing introduced in July 2016 may play a significant part.However, there has not been a decrease in the number of EU nurses (excluding the UK) working in the National Health Service since the referendum vote in June 2016.The latest published figures from NHS Digital suggest that the total number of EU nurses including health visitors employed within NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups who declared their nationality as other EU nationals, excluding the UK, increased from 21,826 to 22,394 in the four months to October 2016.The Department, together with key stakeholders including the Home Office, NHS England, NHS Improvement and Health Education England, will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the NHS has access to the workforce they require.NHS Digital publishes data on the nationality of staff working in the NHS in England. Nationality is self-reported within the NHS human resources and payroll system, the electronic staff record.

Hospital Wards: Gender

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they determine which hospital accommodation should be designated as same-sex accommodation.

lord o'shaughnessy: All hospital accommodation should be designated same-sex. The National Health Service constitution states that patients admitted to hospital will not have to share sleeping accommodation with patients of the opposite sex, except where appropriate. Providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed sex accommodation except where it is in the best overall interest of the patient involved, or reflects their personal choice.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Lightning Review by the Children’s Commissioner published in May 2016 stating that "79% of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services stated that they imposed restrictions and thresholds on children and young people accessing their services", what are those (1) thresholds, and (2) restrictions.

lord o'shaughnessy: The report, Lightning Review: Access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, was published independently by the Children’s Commissioner published in May 2016. In the report, the Children’s Commissioner mentioned what they described as thresholds and restrictions to services. In the report these included the age of patients; the conditions that patients present with; the severity of conditions; and the severity of symptoms.

Social Services: Older People

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional capacity they estimate will be required to care for the elderly population over the next 10 years; what assessment has been made of the current capacity in residential, nursing home and domiciliary care; and what measures are in place to ensure the provision of capacity to meet needs.

lord o'shaughnessy: Social care is a means tested service. The Care Act 2014 requires that local authorities must assess any adult who appears to have a care and support need. If a person has eligible care needs and meets the means test criteria the local authority must arrange a package of care. The latest available data suggests that: - 200,000 packages of short term care were provided in 2015/16 by local authorities; and- 400,000 elderly people were receiving long term care funded by their local authority on the 31 March 2016 The Personal Social Services Research Unit estimates that this number will increase to 500,000 by 2025, and 590,000 by 2030. These demand projections cover long term care only. The Government continues to monitor the capacity of the social care system and although there is inevitable churn, bed capacity has remained broadly stable - 460,664 beds in 2010 to 459,874 now. Commissioning adult social care is the responsibility of local authorities who have duties to meet the needs of eligible people in their area who are entitled to state-funding, and to facilitate an effective market for everyone needing care so they have choice. Local authorities engage with their pool of care providers to encourage changes in capacity where it is needed. These duties were set out in the Care Act 2014. The Department published statutory guidance for the Care Act to support local authorities in their market shaping duties, including commissioning. The Department has worked with Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association, the care sector and other partners to produce a wide range of guidance and support about commissioning, market shaping and contingency planning. We have brought this together in an online hub called Adult Social Care Market Shaping, which is an online only resource widely available to people and organisations including local authorities, service users, and care providers.

Social Services

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Sustainability and Transformation Plans include plans for intermediate and step-down care.

lord o'shaughnessy: This information is not held centrally. The National Health Service and local government partners are currently engaging communities on their draft plans, and no change to services people currently receive will be made without consultation where it is required. Each organisation collaborating on a Sustainability and Transformation Plan retains its usual duties to engage local people on any new proposals. There are longstanding assurance processes in place to make sure this happens.

Nurses: Training

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 7 February (HL Deb, col 1601), whether Health Education England conducted a risk assessment of the change in funding for nursing education from bursaries to loans, prior to the introduction of the policy.

lord o'shaughnessy: As part of the Government’s public consultation on healthcare education funding reforms in 2016, an economic impact assessment and equality analysis was undertaken by the Department. The Government response published on 21 July 2016 also included a revised economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment. Copies of the equality impact assessment Equality Analysis (Response to consultation), Reforming healthcare education funding: creating a sustainable future workforce, and the economic impact assessment Reforms to funding and financial support for nursing, midwifery and AHP Bursary students (SR 2015), are attached.



Equality Impact Assessment
(PDF Document, 688.77 KB)




Economic Impact Assessment
(PDF Document, 910.05 KB)

Food: Hygiene

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to introduce the compulsory display of food hygiene ratings for shops and restaurants in England; and, if so, what is the timetable for implementation.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has responsibility for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS). Currently it is voluntary for food businesses in England to display their hygiene ratings. Display has been mandatory in Wales since November 2013 and in Northern Ireland since October 2016. The FSA considers that mandatory display of food hygiene ratings in England would be beneficial and is using the evidence from Wales to build a strong case. The FSA is exploring how a statutory scheme could be delivered in England as part of the FSA’s work to deliver a new model of regulation for food businesses – the Regulating Our Future programme. The Regulating Our Future programme is redesigning how food businesses are regulated and as hygiene ratings are based on inspections it is important they are part of those discussions. Embedding FHRS into our future model of regulation will ensure we have a robust and credible scheme that continues to deliver benefits for consumers. The FSA remains committed to seeing the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings introduced in England and the Government will consider the case carefully once it is available.

Holiday Accommodation

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are taken to publicise the latest food safety inspection ratings of bed and breakfast establishments, guesthouses, and hotels, to ensure that consumers are made aware of the ratings before they book accommodation at the venues.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has responsibility for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS). All ratings are published in an online only format on the FSA’s website. Open data is available for re-use and the ratings are published on a number of other websites. A number of smart phone apps have also been developed to provide consumers with this information. Media make good use of the open data and there are regular media stories highlighting the best and worst businesses in an area. Businesses which serve or supply food to customers are also given stickers for display at their premises where consumers can easily see them. If consumers see a bad, or no rating, they can choose an alternative with a better one.

NHS: Negligence

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 23 February (HL 5443), what disease or procedure level analysis of NHS negligence claims is held by the Department of Health or the NHS Litigation Authority.

lord o'shaughnessy: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA) has a claims management database which was primarily designed to manage claims. The NHS LA is able to undertake an analysis of claims where there is a specific cause code of a disease or procedure on its claims management system. Sometimes this can be a code which relates to a general group of conditions within a specific speciality, and therefore it is not always possible to undertake analysis of all claims at individual disease or procedure level. It should also be noted that claims can be multi-factorial and/or settled on a number of bases.

Electronic Cigarettes

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Prior of Brampton on 4 July 2016 (HL Deb, col 1828) giving a commitment "to commissioning Public Health England to update its evidence report on e-cigarettes annually until the end of this Parliament", when the updated evidence report will be published.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England’s (PHE) next updated evidence report on e-cigarettes is expected to be published before the end of the 2017.In addition to the publication of an evidence review, PHE have partnered with Cancer Research UK and the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies to develop a forum that brings together policy makers, researchers, practitioners and the non-governmental organisation representatives to discuss the emerging evidence, identify research priorities and generate ideas for new research projects, thereby enhancing collaboration between forum participants.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority will continue to undertake market surveillance of e-cigarettes as part of their role as the Competent Authority, feeding back any intelligence to the Department and PHE.

Electronic Cigarettes

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Prior of Brampton on 14 September 2016 (HL Deb, col 1537) stating that the Government would continue to monitor and develop the evidence base for the regulation of e-cigarettes, what steps (1) Public Health England, and (2) the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, are taking to encourage research on e-cigarettes.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England’s (PHE) next updated evidence report on e-cigarettes is expected to be published before the end of the 2017.In addition to the publication of an evidence review, PHE have partnered with Cancer Research UK and the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies to develop a forum that brings together policy makers, researchers, practitioners and the non-governmental organisation representatives to discuss the emerging evidence, identify research priorities and generate ideas for new research projects, thereby enhancing collaboration between forum participants.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority will continue to undertake market surveillance of e-cigarettes as part of their role as the Competent Authority, feeding back any intelligence to the Department and PHE.